Process of treating yarns and fabrics made therefrom



June 6, 1939. H. RUBINSTEIN PROCESS OF TREATING YARNS AND FABRICS MADETHEREFROM Filed Nov. 5, 1938 NYENTOR.

Patented June 6, 1939 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS OF TREATING .YARNS ANDFABRICS MADE THEREFROM Harry Rubinstein, Brooklyn, N. Y. ApplicationNovember 5, 1938, Serial No. 238,984

12 Claims.

Heretofore it has been known in the carding and brushing of materialthat a nap was incidentally produced on the resulting strands. But thisnap was eliminated in a substantial degree when the 10 strands were.twisted to form yarns. Generally these yarns were wound in skeins fromwhich the yarn was later taken in any suitable manner for the knittingof garments or weaving of tex tiles.

15 In removing yarn from the skeins, the latter first required to beagitated to break up the matted condition of the yarn to avoid tanglingand knotting thereof.

Subsequently the goods was brushed with a 20 rapidly revolving wirebrush to raise a suitable nap. This napping. operation was frequentlyfollowed by the blowing of steam through the goods to raise the nap.Obviously this process was expensive as it .had to be performed on large5 sections of textile material, and on knitted goods already formed intogarments. Uniform results were diflicult to attain. Frequently the goodswas damaged, 'the damage being approximately percent of the entireoutput of even the best 30 regulated plants.

Even highly fluify special yarns would lose a large part of theirfuzziness or loft after dyeing and hence would require nappingoperations for the goods.

35 Of course the importance of providing goods with a proper nap residesin that the appearance of the goods is improved or various attractiveeffects provided, softness and warmth are at-- tained, and moreimportant still, because the de- 40 sired goods can be manufactured witha lesser weight of yarn.

After a lifetime of experience in this art, I have discovered that thedlfiiculties above noted may be overcome by napping the goods while'it45 is still in skeins according to the invention, with the result thatthe nap so produced persisted in the knitted and textile fabric and waseven much greater than what could'be produced by napping such fab'ricdirectly, and that the napping ac-- 50 cording to the inventioncould'be' effected at decreased cost, and with increased uniformity,speed and reliability, so that occasional damage was eliminated.Further, an easier and more accurate control of the degree of nap waspermitted.

s5 The character of yarn atfirst presented the main difficulty becauseof the tendency of the wire brush to wholly or partially break the yarn.With soft wooly yarns it seemed that such a method would be impossibleeven for a moment. I then discovered that if the brush wiresWere-arranged 5 to beat against the skeins at an acute angle, that is,with a partial wiping effect, the yarn could be napped at relativelyhigh speed. Since heretofore such brushes had been used with their wiresbent to beat on knitted or textile fabrics 10 at an obtuse angle, myinvention involved in a sense the reversal of the direction of rotationof such brushes.

To assure absolute safety and reliability, I found it preferable toround or bevel the wire points to avoid any possible tearing of theyarn.

An important advantage of the invention is that in napping the yarn, thematting of the skeins is eliminated, so that the separate working of theskeins to remove matted conditions is unnecessary.

Another advantage is that the wire brushes do not become clogged withremoved nap, so that laborious cleaning'of the brushes is avoided.

'Another advantage of the invention is that the 'or knitted fabric.

Another advantage of the invention is that the nap is produced withoutthe tearing off or loss of.fuzz as heretofore.

Another advantage of the invention is that the knitting or weaving ofthe yarn allows for the nap body-so as to produce a fabric of greatervolume because the nap is in the weave and not only on the surface ofthe goods. Nevertheless, the goods may be steamed in'certain cases totrain all the fuzz toward the face of the merchandise.

Another advantage of the invention is that standard machinery may beused with only minor 40 changes to practise the process.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved process andapparatus that shall overcome the drawbacks and realize the advantagesmentioned in the treatment of yarn or tion consists in the novelcombinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in theirpreferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, andillustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated bythe same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in elevation of an apparatus accordingto the invention, with parts removed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the brush and skein.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a brush and its wires.

Fig. 4 is a view like that of Fig. 1 showing a modification of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of a brush for combing yarn.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views of modified forms of wirebrush.

Fig. 9 is a traverse sectional view of a brush according to amodification of the invention.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate further modifications of the invention.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized whenall of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and thesame structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less thanthe whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains, that the same may be incorporated in several differentconstructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merelyas showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Generally described, this invention relates to the treatment ofdifferent yarns, as in skein form to produce a loft, nap or other fluffyor fuzzy condition by longitudinally brushing the yarn or skeins,preferably by means -of wire brushes, whose bristle wires desirably beaton the yarn at an acute angle of lead with'a partial wiping action toavoid tearing the yarn and to simultaneously comb or separate the yarnsto break up the usual matted condition thereof. Thus there is acontinuous beating and combing, the acute angle position of the bristlewires being feasible clue to the beating in which the wire pointseffectively raise a nap. Preferably the points of the bristle wires arerounded or beveled to prevent cutting into and tearing of the soft yarn.Desirably the yarn is treated under suitable tension to maintain itstwist closed, although the bristle wires will readily slip out frombetween the strands due to the relative acute angle position of thewires. In course of this treatment the yarn or skein may be turned orotherwise acted upon to present all sides to the brush.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 denotes an apparatus forillustrating the process, and which may be considered as embodying aphase of the invention. The same may include any means for mounting,supporting or holding at one or more points a batch or skein of yarn,for instance, a pair of rollers ll, l2 which may have rough faces l3 orother means for gripping the skein M to avoid undesired slippage or tocontrol the same. These rollers may be mounted on their respectiveshafts l5, l6. Coacting with the rollers is a brush means which isdesirably in the form of a roller l'l having bristles l8 of wire orother suitable material at an angle so as to whip. or beat the skein I4at an acute angle .of lead, the direction of rotation of the brush beingindicated by the arrow l3. Brushing motion may be obtained by relativemovement as by rotating the brush by any suitable drive such as a motor20 having a pulley 2| connected by a belt 22 which engages a pulley 23on the brush shaft 24.

The action of the roller brush is to cause a con- Adjustment of thetension on the skein t4 may be effected by movement of the idlers orrollers ll, l2 toward and away from each other, and a relative adjustingmovement may be had between the brush and rollers to affect the tensionand also the penetration of the brush into. the skein. Thus the rollerll may be mounted on a frame or arm 25 carried by a support 26 having aclamp 21 engageable in a slot 28 of the arm 25 whereby the latter may beangularly and longitudinally adjusted to set position.

For speed adjustment of the operation, any variable speed drive 29 maybe interposed between the pulley 2| and the motor 20. While the rollersH, l2 may be idlers, one of them may be retarded by a friction clutch 30at or in the shaft IS in any suitable manner. Then again, a motor 3| mayoperate a removable belt 32 through an adjustable speed reduction drive33, with the belt rotating a pulley 34 and hence the roller l2 throughthe clutch 30. Thus it will be seen that infinite variation is possible,with the skein moving under the pull or tension of the brush at any lowspeed, by reason of the clutch 30 or motor 3|, or in opposition to thebrush pull at various speeds. Preferably the skein may travel asindicated by the arrow 35 at a low speed to permit the bristle wires toreadily leave the skein without catching or dragging the yarn.

It will be noted that the axis of the brush is preferably at rightangles to the length of the skein, but it may also be at other anglesthereto, as, for example, obliquely, with'a resultant harder brushingaction. The wires l8 may have bends 36 as shown in Fig. 3, with theirends shaped or beveled as at 31 to permit the'wlres to wipinglypenetrate the yarn and to avoid catching and tearing thereof.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modification 38- of the invention including carrierrollers 39, 40 for the skein M, a roller 4| being associated with theroller 39' to clamp the skein and avoid slippage thereof so that themovement of the skein may be properly controlled under positive drive orunder pull of the brush II. In order to assure full penetration of thebrush wires l8 into the skein, a backing 42 may be. provided including,for instance, a belt 43 mounted on-idlers or rollers 44 adapted totravel according to the peripheral speed of the rollers 39, 40, thelatter being operated for; instance, as in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified apparatus 45 according to the invention,including rollers or idlers 4,6 for mounting the skein l4. A pair oflike brushes ll, Ila may be arranged to operate on the skein, at oneface thereof, but preferably one at an outer face thereof, and the otherat an inner face thereof, so that the yarn is brushed simultaneously atopposite faces to produce the maximum fluffiness and avoid the need forturning the skein around as in the devices of Figs. 1 and 4 if suchbrushing is desired. These brushes may be arranged so as to exert a pullin opposite directions on the skeins, as by rotating in the samedirection and acting on opposite runs of -engage the yarn in anyposition. The blunt or beveled ends of the wires help to avoid tearingthe skein or by rotating in opposite directions and acting on one run ofthe skein. The arrangement shown provides for even brush pressureagainst the yarn without the need for clamping the skein and marring thenap thereof. If one of the brushes be operated at slightly higher speedthan the other, the skein will move on its idlers 46 to a correspondingdegree. Accordingly the belt 41 for the brush I1 is connected to apulley 48 which is larger than the pulley 49 to which the belt 50 forthe brush Ila is connected. Hence the travel of the skein may be easilycontrolled as by the pull at the arrows 5|, the direction of skeinmovement being shown by the arrow 52. Of course the members 46 may beoperated in any manner hereinbefore suggested, if desired.

It will be perceived that the speed of brushing and the stiffness of thewires will vary with the softness and thickness of the yarn, andlikewise the angle of the wires and the density of spacing thereof willhave important effects so that many variable factors are introducedwhich must be specially solved for each particular yarn.

If desired, the wires l8 may be of irregular form or of polygonal crosssection, for instance, square or triangular so as toincrease thebrushing action on a skein within the body thereof. The wires l8 may beregarded as square.

With my invention not only is the yarn brushed to produce a permanentnap, but the usual matted condition of the yarn is corrected and theyarns thus directly separated by the wires for easy removal from theskein without tangling.

The tension on the yarn closes the twist thereof but in any case theangular wires l8 easily disthe yarn, especially due to the angular acton of the wires which aids penetration thereof into the skein betweenthe yarns so as to comb the skein. Hence no cleaning of the brushes isnecessary nor is the fuzz so loosened as to be lost in subsequentknitting or weaving.

The skein thus treated is then unwound and the yarn fed to a knitting'orweaving machine which operates under any required or lesser tension orthrow consistent with the greater softness gaiufliness of the warn toproduce goods of large Finally, the goods may have steam blowntherethrough to further raise the nap or tra n the fuzz toward one faceof the goods, but this step may be dispensed with.

- The invention is applicable to any kind of yarn of any twist or lackthereof. A batch and skein of yarn are regarded as the same within thescope of this invention.

In Fig. 6 is shown a brush 53 which may be used primarily for combingyarn, and includes a roller 54 having a peripheral facing of rubber orother suitable material from or through which extend any suitablebristles, wires or nails 55 of smooth contour and with rounded ends,whereby this. r brush is adapted for use on the most delicate fabrics,according to the invention. These elements 55 may engage the yarn atright angles but are preferably obliquely mounted as shown to provide anacute angle of lead with the yarn.

In Figs. 7 and 8 are shown modified forms of wire brushes whereinstraight bristles are mounted in a yielding or rubber member andadjusted to an angle by relative movement between the member and asupport therefor which engages the wire bristles. The latter may passthrough the member initially at right angles thereto, and deflection ispermitted by the yield or elasticity of the member. Thus the brush maytake the form of a rotary brush 88 having a pair of cylindrical bands orsuperposed walls GI, 62 of rubber or the like, wire bristles 64extending through the elements GI, 62 for angular adjustment by relativeangular movement between the elements, after which the latter arefixedly interconnected or vulcanized togetherin any suitable manner.Alternatively, the device 55 may have a roller 66 having a cylindricalband or wall 61 of yielding material through which pass the wirebristles 68 whose inner ends are engageable in irregularities 69 such ascups or grooves in the surface of the roller, so that angular adjustmentof the bristles is effected by relative angular movement between theelement 61 and the roller 66 after which the same are adhesively orotherwise fixed in relation to each other in any suitable manner.

If desired, the elements 6|, 62 and 66, 51 may be relatively angularlysettable, as by a set screw, in order to adjust the angle of the wirebristles to thus control the angle of lead. Of course the devices ofFigs. 7 and 8 are applicable at any angle of lead whatsoever.

In Fig. 9 is shown a brush 10 having removable wire bristle units forready andconvenient removal and replacement by other bristle units sothat the roller may have wire bristles of any desired flexibility,length, angularity and spacing without requiring replacement of theroller itself. Accordingly, the roller H may have longitudinal bristleunits 12 having any suitable backing I3, or as suggested in Figs. 6, 7and 8, removably secured to the roller II in any feasible manner. Forexample, the roller H may have longitudinal spaced ridges 14, eachhaving a longitudinal lip 15, all the lips facing in one angulardirection to thus overlap and hold the backing 13 to resist the tendencyfor removal thereof with the angularity of the wire bristles being asshown, and the strips being additionally removably secured by anysuitable means such as screws 16 spaced along the strips.

In Fig. 10 is shown a device for merely combing" yarn, according to theinvention. The same may include a frame 11 on which 8.1;? mounted theskein carrying idler spools II, which may be analogous to the rollers II, I2. Also mounted on the frame 11 is a wing nut clamp device 19 of anyconventional type settable up and down along the frame and toward andaway from the plane of the spools 18, this clamp carrying an idler brush80, whose engagement with the skein is thus adjusted. The brush 80includes wire bristles 8| whose purpose is primarily to beat out thematted condition of the skein by separating the yarns. The skein ismoved by the pull on a single yarn thereof caused by the bobbin of aknitting or weaving machine, the skein causing rotation of theelements," and 80.

In Fig. 11 is shown a spool 82 freely rotatably mounted on the frame 83and having wires 84 so that this spool can be substituted for one of theat an acute angle to the yarn batch to wipingly penetrate the latter andseparate the yarns thereof. I

2. The herein described method, including wire-brushing a skein of yarnlengthwise thereof to raise a substantial nap thereon, with the wirebristles held at an acute angle to the skein in the direction ofbrushing at the region of contact with the yarn, and then removing yarnfrom the skein and constructing therefrom-a fabric having saidsubstantial nap.

3. The herein described method including longitudinally wire-brushing abatch of yarn with the wire bristles being at an acute angle of lead tothe yarn, pressing the wire bristles into the yarn batch and tensioningthe latter while performing the brushing operation.

4. The herein described method comprising brushing a batch of yarn withwire bristles having beveled ends and being maintained at an acute angleto the yarn for wipingly penetrating the same along the wire bristlesand the beveled ends thereof, forcing the wire bristles into the yarnbatch and tensioning the yarn in course of the brushing.

5. The herein described method including wire-brushing a batch of yarnat different faces thereof with the wire bristles held at an acute anglefor partially wipingly engaging the yarn to provide a nap on the yarnand to separate the yarns.

6. The herein described method including brushing a batch of yarn withWire bristles of angular shape held at an acute angleto the yarn forpartially wipingly engaging and separating the yarn to thus raise a napon the outer and inner surfaces of the yarn batch.

7. The herein described method including longitudinally wire-brushing abatch of yarn by continuously beating and brushing the yarn batch tocause the ends of the wire bristles to raise a nap on the yarn and tocause the wire bristles to comb and rub the yarn with the bristle wiresbeing at an acute angle to the yarn to partially wipingly engage theyarn, to thus produce yarn adapted to be formed into a nap bearingfabric. 8. The herein described method including longitudinallywire-brushing a batch of yarn by continuously beating and brushing theyarn batch to cause the ends of the wire bristles to raise a nap on theyarn and to cause the wire bristles to comb and rub the yarn with thebristle wires being at an acute angle to the yarn to partially wipinglyengage the yarn, to thus produce yarn adapted to be formed into a napbearing fabric,

the wire bristles having relativelyblunt ends to avoid tearing the yarn.

9. The herein described method including longitudinally wire-brushing abatch of yarn by continuously beating and brushing the yarn batch tocause the ends of the wire bristles to raise a nap on the yarn and tocause the wire bristles to comb and rub the yarn with the bristle wiresbeing at an acute angle to the yarn to partially wipingly engage theyarn, to thus produce yarn adapted to be formed into a nap bearingfabric, and then forming the yarn into a fabric of such relativelyloosev texture as to maintain the yarn in its fluify condition.

10. The herein'described method including longitudinally wire-brushing abatch of yarn by continuously beating and brushing the yarn batch tocause the ends of the wire bristles to raise a nap on the yarn and tocause the wire bristles to comb and rub the yarn with the bristle wiresbeing at an acute angle to the yarn to partially wipingly engage theyarn, to thus produce yarn adapted to be formed into a nap bearingfabric, and then forming the yarn into a fabric of such relatively loosetexture as to maintain the yarn in its fluffy condition, and finallyblowing a gaseous fluid through the fabric to train the nap between theyarn toward one face of the fabric.

11. The herein described method including longitudinally wire-brushing abatch of yarn by continuously beating and brushing the yarn batch tocause the ends of the wire bristles to raise a nap on the yarn and tocause the wire ing so related to the parts of the skein that are i beingbrushed that the brushing at one face creates a pull on the yarn that atleast partially counterbalances the pull caused by brushing on the otherface, the brushing being effected by rotary wire brushes having bristlesengaging the yarn at an acute angle and serving to beat the yarn andthen to enter the same in course of engaging the yarn.

HARRY RUBINSTEIN.

